Star Wars 7: 30 years later, R2-D2 returns

While we’ve still gotten no solid answers on if C-3PO will be making an appearance, it would seem that the one and only R2-D2 will indeed be ready for action for Star Wars 7. Confirmed by Disney chief Robert Iger in an analyst call this week via the LA Times, R2-D2 will be the first character that definitely, certainly be in this segment of the film series.

It was revealed earlier this month that Star Wars 7 (or Star Wars VII if you prefer) would be taking place 30 years (or so) after the events of Return of the Jedi. The "prequel" trilogy ends on a down-note and picks up approximately 19 years later with Star Wars: A New Hope. The rest of the timeline goes as follows - approximately, that is.

Ep I : The Phantom Menace
10 years
Ep II : Attack Of The Clones
3 years
Ep III: Revenge Of The Sith
19 years
Ep IV: A New Hope
3 years
Ep V: The Empire Strikes Back
1 year
Ep VI: Return Of The Jedi

Considering this, and considering the idea that R2-D2 could very well have been constructed well before The Phantom Menace, it’s possible that he’ll have been around for over 66 years when Star Wars Episode 7 comes along. A far cry from Yoda (who was well over 900 years old when he died) or Chewbacca, who will be over 200 years old when Star Wars 7 begins.

So consider this - Chewbacca has a long life ahead of him still at the point Return of the Jedi is over. He’s a Wookie, and Wookies can live hundreds of years. Han Solo isn’t quite middle-aged when the crew reaches Return of the Jedi, and Luke and Leia are well younger than Han - so they call could very well make appearances in Star Wars Episode 7. We’ll just have to wait and see!